A heavy-caliber scandal struck the French authorities associated to a fund established to fight spiritual extremism within the nation three years in the past, however investigations have just lately been opened on suspicion of embezzlement of funds and accusations of nepotism.
The story started in late 2020, when the federal government established the “Marianne Fund” after the killing of a trainer in a terrorist assault, with the purpose of spreading “the values of the Republic”, however right this moment the chief department is dealing with a debate about the way in which to make use of these funds amounting to 2.5 million euros in donations.
Three years after its institution, the fund has change into on the middle of two investigations, one judicial and the opposite parliamentary, between suspicions of embezzlement of funds and accusations of favoritism and the manufacturing of controversial content material.
And whereas rumors are circulating about authorities reshuffles, the scandal right this moment threatens to have an effect on the controversial minister, Marlene Schiappa, who proposed the thought of creating the fund and is among the first supporters of President Emmanuel Macron.
And after she denied any unlawful habits, Chiappa appeared on Wednesday morning earlier than the Senate Investigation Committee for questioning on this regard, in accordance with the company, “Agence France Presse.”
2.5 million euros
The state collected 2.5 million euros to be distributed to associations after inspecting the nomination recordsdata. The fund was entrusted to a ministerial committee in opposition to extremism, which adopted an accelerated mechanism, which led to the choice of 17 recordsdata in simply two months. After that, there was no new information concerning the fund.
Nevertheless, on the finish of March 2023, a joint investigation by two media retailers out of the blue shed gentle once more on the fund, because it described a non-transparent administration of funds, and a secret listing of beneficiaries led by a little-known affiliation, the “Union of Bodily Training and Army Preparation Associations,” which is believed to have used 355 thousand Euros of assist granted to publish publications that acquired little follow-up and to pay the salaries of two of its former administrators.
Marilyn Schiappa (AFP)
Investigations accelerated this week with the raid on the headquarters of a variety of the principle events to the case, together with the previous administrative official who managed the fund throughout the authorities earlier than he was compelled to resign.
Fee of Inquiry and Hearings
In parallel, the Senate, which is managed by the right-wing opposition, shaped an investigative committee that initiated hearings, a few of which revealed complicated data to Marilyn Schiappa, who’s right this moment the Secretary of State for Social Economic system and Solidarity.
Her former workplace supervisor admitted earlier than the senators that an affiliation’s software for assist from the Marian Fund had been denied after “unfavorable arbitration by the secretary,” although he denied any favouritism.
It considerations the historic affiliation SOS Racisme, whose president has displeased the federal government by harshly criticizing its anti-isolationist regulation.
Samuel Paty (AFP)
Dominique Sobo defined in response to questions from AFP that he had initially obtained a verbal assure that his affiliation would obtain assist price 100 thousand euros, earlier than the scenario out of the blue modified. “After that, there was full silence. We did not get assist,” he mentioned.
Chiappa’s website is underneath menace
Shyaba’s actual function stays to be clarified, however her place in authorities seems very threatened. On Sunday, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne gave her a really timid endorsement, saying “I do not assume it is necessary” for her to step down.
It’s noteworthy that the French authorities pledged, after the terrorist assault and the beheading of trainer Samuel Paty by the hands of an extremist on October 16, 2020, to confront “isolationism”, particularly spiritual ones, that threaten social cohesion.
A regulation was handed on this regard in August 2021, however the govt authority had taken the initiative earlier than that, since April of the identical 12 months, to ascertain the “Marianne Fund for the Republic”, calling it the identify of the feminine determine that symbolizes the French Republic and its slogan is “Freedom, Equality, Fraternity.” .
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